Dishwashing and drying apparatus



Sept. 29, 1942. w FUCHS DISHWASHINGY AND DRYING APPARATUS Filed' June '7, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

WALTER M. Fuc Hs ATTORNEY.

Sept. 29, 1942. w. M. FUCHS 2,297,614

DI SHWASHING AND DRYING APPARATUS Filed June '7, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

WALTER M- Fuc HS ATTORNEY.

Patented 29,1942

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE nrsnwasnmc. AND DRYING APPARATUS Walter M. Fuchs, State College, Pa. Application June 7, 1939,-8e rial No. 277,329

' 2 Claims. 34 -231) as well as exposed for washing; to provide an improved nozzle for spraying articles wherein a novel wetting agent assures complete cleaning of the articles; to provides nozzlefor washing purposes wherein the wash water flowing under pressure is mixed with a proportioned amount of a wetting agent; to provide a drying apparatus wherein. articles in a basket within such apparatusare subjecte'dto heated air; to provide a drying apparatus which can be adjusted to accommodate batches of articles-of different size; to provide a novel air heating and circulating means for a dish or article drying apparatus; to provide a drying apparatus wherein provision ,is made for draining drip from the articles without decreasing the efllciencyof the heating means; and to provide other improvements as will hereinafter appear. I

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 represents a side'elevation of a basket for articles to be washed and showing a spray nozzle embodying one form of the present invention; Fig. 2

represents a. sectional elevation of the spray nozzle with the associated hose connected to a source of water supply; Fig. 3represents a sectional elevation of one form of drying unit of the washing and rinsing plates, saucers, cups, metal utensils and other articles is shown in Fig. 1 in association with a basket or frame ll and consists generally of a spray nozzle ll attached to a flexible hose l2 for attachment to a faucet l3.

As shown, the basket I0 is of open work construction having a'bottom ll supported by legs [5 at an appreciable distance from. the ground line to provide-a laterally disposed space ii. The body of the basket Ill includesa plurality of suitably arranged" and --spaced partitions I ll forming compartments ior conveniently receiving articles of different size and shape.

- For effective washing, wetting and rinsing the articles in the frame it, the nozzle H, as here shown, consists of a face l8, of such curved contour as to distribute liquid, by way of the face perforations 20, for most advantageous and effective concentration of the liquid upon the articles. This face I8 is circumierentially joined to a substantially conical top 2! so that the two together form a tubular body which communicates with the exterior by way of a tube 22, the projecting end of which is threaded to receive the connecting end of the hose l2. A sleeve 23 is fitted about the tube 22 and terminates in a flanged base 2| which is united to the top 2! to form a complete unitary nozzle structure.

' For the purpose of mixing a wetting agent with the incoming water, an annular plate 25 forms a lateral extension of the discharge end of the tube 22 and joins the latter to the inner periphery of the nozzle body to thus create a reservoir 26 for the selected wetting agent. A capped inlet 2! provides means for filling the reservoir 26 .and replenishing the supply of wetting agent,

while a jet '28 forms a discharge conduit from the reservoir 26. As shown, this jet 28 is in the form of a tube so angularly disposed as to discharge in the direction of the flow of liquid traversing the tube 22. The conduit 30 is relatively small and its arrangement in the tube 22 results in an injector whereby the water leaving the tube 22 draws in wetting solution proportioned to the necessary requirements.

For the purpose of drying the dishes or other articles after the washing operation, a casing 3! is provided of preferably rectangular shape and formed'of sheet metal, though any suitable ma.- terial"'may be used. This casing 3| forms an open top chamber 32 of a size to accommodate the basket III with suihcient clearance there- .about for eflective circulation of heated air.

The casing 3i is shown as converging upwardly from the general location of the legs l5 of the basket ill to provide a re-entrant bottom 35 having a centrally located air inlet 34 at the apex of said bottom. Thus, drip from the wet dishes is directed outwardly to find an escape by way of a drain pipe 35 which is superposed with respect to a collecting trough 36. An annular flange 31 forms a lower extension of the walls of the casing 3| and elevates the bottom 33 sufllciently to form a bottom chamberto which air has'access by way of holes 33. The trough 36 is supported by the flange 31 for ease of assembly.

For supplying heated air to the inlet 34 aduct" 48 leads to the inlet 34 and-also forms ahousing for an electric motor II which drives a blower fan 42. The duct 40 is generally funnel shaped so that its larger inlet end is about the fan 42 and its smaller outlet end connected to the inlet 34. An electric heating element 43 is interposed in the path of the air going through the duct 40, this element as here shown being in the form of a coil which is energized by the motor circuit 44 which receives current from a suitable source when the terminal 45 is plugged into an electric outlet.

In order to distribute the incoming forced air as it leaves the inlet 34, a baflie 43 is mounted on legs 41 in coaxial relation above the inlet -ter then placed in the sink. The nozzle H with its reservoir 26 filled with a suitable liquid wetting agent is then connected by the hose 12 to 34, suchbaille being preferably shaped as two cones base to base, whereby the lower cone face spreads the air outwardly in all lateral directions while the upper cone serves to direct drip from the basket m away from the inlet 34.

Since the casings! is preferably shallow for. ease in handling, provision is made for retaining tion. The lower marginal edge of the wall 48- conforms to the shape of the casing 3i and is fastened thereto as a part thereof. The upper marginal edge of the wall 43 is reinforced and held as an open top by a continuous stiffener wire 50.

To support the extensible wall 48 in position when a filled basket is within the casing 3|, a strap 5| is fastened at one end to the top of the marginal portion ofthe wall 48 while its opposite end terminates in a hasp 52 arranged to receive a hook 53 fixed to the opposite marginal portion of the wall 48, the arrangement being such that the strap 5! can be brought laterally across the top opening 'of the wall 48 and thus rest upon the dishes or articles in the basket to thereby retain the wall properly distended as an air and heat confining wall.

In the foregoing reference is made to the liquid in the reservoir 26 as a. wetting agent by which is meant asurface active compound containing, both water soluble and oil soluble groups. For example, soaps, fatty alcohol sulfates, sulfated fatty acid amides, sulfated fatty acid esters, secondary alcohol sulfates, sulfated esters of higher lows: Dishes or other tableware to be washed and dried are arranged in the basket I0 and the latthe faucet l3 whereupon the articles can be subjected to the water stream entering the nozzle by way of the tube 22. The velocity of the water stream as it passes the jet 28 gives an injector action which draws out a small amount of the wetting agent which, mixing with the water stream, supplements the mechanical force by a chemical one to remove films of fat and grease. Following the washing, wetting and rinsing operation, thebasket is placed in the casing 32 and the flexible wall 48 elevated to such a position that the strap 51 can be placed over and rest upon the articles in the basket l0 thus providing a solid wall encircling the basket but allowing the air within the casing to leave by way of the open top. When so arranged, the blower fan 42 is started and air enters by way of the inlet 34 and during its passage thereto picks up the required amount of heat from the unit 43 so that .the entering air is heated to a temperature for eflicient drying of the articles, In this connection it should be noted that the baflle 46 not only defleets the air laterally in all directions but also serves the purpose of directing drip water away from the inlet 34. All of the drip from the basket It can travel by gravity outwardly and downwardly over the inclined bottom of the casing and find an exit through the drain 35 to the col le'cting trough 36. The articles in the basket are thus dried quickly and are clean and the operaplying heated air to said inlet, and means arranged to coact with the contents of said casing.

for holding said flexible section thereof expanded.

2. A drying device consisting of an open top casing formed .by a lower section of rigid material and an upper section of flexible material, said flexible section of the casing being arranged to be expanded to increase the height of said casing, an inlet for air to said casing, means for supplying heated air to said inlet, a retaining ring connected to the upper free end of said fiexible section of the casing to maintain the same in open condition, and means arranged to coact with the contents of said casing for holding said flexible section thereof expanded.

' WALTER M. FUCHS. 

